What Hunger Free Vermont does

Hunger Free Vermont is a private nonprofit association founded in 1993 and headquartered in South Burlington, Vermont, that operates as the state's leading anti-hunger advocacy, education, and program administration organization. It coordinates statewide efforts to connect Vermonters facing food insecurity with federal and state nutrition programs — primarily 3SquaresVT (Vermont's SNAP), Universal School Meals, summer and afterschool meal programs, WIC, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, Meals on Wheels, and farmers market incentives (Crop Cash, Crop Cash Plus). Approximately 65,000-70,000 Vermonters receive 3SquaresVT benefits monthly through the program, and the organization reports that Vermont leads the nation in summer meal provision with more than 1.5 million meals distributed to children in the most recent year. The organization serves as a convener and intermediary rather than a direct food distributor in most cases, organizing ten regional Food Security Networks with more than 1,100 Council members, partnering with Vermont public schools, healthcare systems, the Vermont Foodbank, Feeding Champlain Valley, NOFA-VT, the Vermont Farm to Plate Network, the Vermont Agency of Education, DCF-ESD, and state-recognized Abenaki tribal leaders.

Its product portfolio is primarily digital resource infrastructure rather than proprietary technology: a Summer Meals Interactive Map Tool (launched 2026) for locating free meal sites for children ages 0-18, a 3SquaresVT Resource Hub, a Child Nutrition Hub, multilingual and ASL Food Resources content, Hunger 101 educational presentations, and the Food Security Networks coalition platform. The interactive map is the only purpose-built technical product described; the remaining assets are content/resource websites. No proprietary AI, machine learning, APIs, or platform integrations are disclosed. The organization does not sell products or services and operates on a donations and grants model, with all beneficiary-facing programs delivered free of charge.

The business model is grant- and donation-funded nonprofit operations, with revenue derived from individuals, foundations, and government sources. Distribution is multi-channel: direct engagement with schools and healthcare systems, referral through the 2-1-1 helpline, grassroots coordination via regional Food Security Networks, self-serve digital resource hubs, and advocacy campaigns targeting state and federal nutrition policy. The organization explicitly positions itself as prioritizing people most affected by hunger, including children, older Vermonters (60+), people with disabilities, and tribal citizens, and frames its work around addressing systemic causes including racism, inadequate wages, and lack of affordable housing.

Name

Hunger Free Vermont

Legal name

Hunger Free Vermont

Website

https://hungerfreevt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hunger Free Vermont is a South Burlington-based nonprofit founded in 1993 that serves as Vermont's leading anti-hunger advocacy and program administration organization, connecting food-insecure Vermonters to federal and state nutrition programs through ten regional Food Security Networks, schools, healthcare systems, and digital resource hubs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Food Security Advocacy and Nutrition Assistance

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD), Nutrition & Food Security (Global Health) NGOs (HLAJAKAH), School Feeding & Child Nutrition Programs (BPADAJAD), School Feeding & Social Protection Partnerships (Conditional Cash Transfers, etc.) (EDADALAL)

Keywords

• Food security advocacy
• Anti-hunger programs
• Nutrition assistance
• Community food networks
• SNAP outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

South Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Hunger Free Vermont operates as a nonprofit organization funded through donations and grants from individuals, foundations, and government sources. The organization protects and expands federal nutrition programs like 3SquaresVT and meal programs for children and older adults.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hunger Free Vermont is a nonprofit anti-hunger advocacy and education organization that connects Vermonters to federal and state nutrition programs (3SquaresVT/SNAP, school meals, summer meals, WIC, Meals on Wheels). It coordinates 10 regional Food Security Networks with over 1,100 Council members, runs public outreach and educational presentations, and operates digital tools (e.g., an interactive Summer Meals map) to help families locate free meal sites.

Product overview

Hunger Free Vermont is Vermont's leading anti-hunger advocacy and education organization offering a portfolio of digital tools and community programs. Core offerings include an interactive map tool for locating summer meal sites, resource hubs (3SquaresVT Resource Hub, Child Nutrition Hub, Food Resources for All) that connect Vermonters to federal nutrition programs including SNAP, WIC, school meals, and farmers market incentive programs (Crop Cash, Crop Cash Plus). The organization also coordinates 10 regional Food Security Networks and provides educational outreach through Hunger 101 presentations. The portfolio works together to provide comprehensive food security support from awareness and education through direct program access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Vermont Food Security Networks: Regional food security coalitions organized by Hunger Free Vermont across 10 regions in Vermont, bringing together local leaders, organizations, and advocates to create food security in their communities.

Products and services

• Summer Meals Interactive Map Tool Interactive web-based map tool that helps Vermont families locate free summer meal sites for children ages 0-18 across the state, updated throughout the summer and administered in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Education.
• 3SquaresVT Resource Hub Online resource hub providing information about Vermont's SNAP program (3SquaresVT), including application guidance, benefit information, and program updates for Vermonters and service providers.
• Child Nutrition Hub Resource center consolidating information about child nutrition programs including school meals, WIC, summer meals, and afterschool snack and meal programs for Vermont families.
• Food Resources for All Multilingual food resource materials and videos (including ASL-accessible videos) that help Vermonters navigate and access food assistance programs.
• Vermont Food Security Networks Ten regional coalitions of community partners across Vermont that share information, raise awareness, and coordinate food security initiatives at the local level; previously known as Hunger Councils.
• Hunger 101 Presentations Educational presentations that raise awareness about hunger in Vermont and how communities can work together to create systemic change; available on request via the organization's website.
• Crop Cash Farmers market incentive program that matches SNAP/3SquaresVT dollars spent at farmers markets, providing extra money to purchase local fruits, vegetables, herbs, culinary seeds, and plant starts; markets match up to $20 of SNAP dollars per day.
• Crop Cash Plus Supplemental farmers market incentive program (running through October 31, 2025) that provides participants using their EBT card at farmers markets up to an extra $10 to purchase additional foods.

Quantifiable outcome

• Vermont leads the nation in summer meal provision with more than 1.5 million meals distributed to children
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Vermont FoodbankcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Collaborated on strategic plan 'Creating a Food Secure Future for All Vermont's Children by 2035' along with Feeding Champlain Valley. Vermont Foodbank partners with over 300 food shelves, meal sites, and community organizations throughout the state.
• Feeding Champlain ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 June 2026Collaborated on strategic plan 'Creating a Food Secure Future for All Vermont's Children by 2035' along with Vermont Foodbank.
• Vermont Farm to Plate NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to ensure local food is equitable, affordable, and accessible for all Vermonters while expanding markets for Vermont farmers and food producers.
• Vermont Farm to School and Early Childhood NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to expand Farm to School programs and help schools purchase more local food from Vermont farmers and producers.
• NOFA-VTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to help farmers markets be more affordable and welcoming for everyone, including people shopping with 3SquaresVT and WIC. Also administers Crop Cash and Crop Cash Plus programs.
• Vermont Agency of EducationcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAdministers the federally funded summer meal reimbursement program in Vermont. Hunger Free Vermont launched an interactive map tool as part of this program.
• Vermont Department for Children and Families Economic Services Division (DCF-ESD)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRuns 3SquaresVT (SNAP) in Vermont. Hunger Free Vermont works closely with DCF to improve access to and participation in the program.
• Vermont Healthcare SystemscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to raise importance of food security screening with all patients, support integration of screening and referrals into healthcare practices, and create relationships between medical providers and community food resource groups.
• Abenaki Tribes (State-Recognized)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloping relationships with leaders of state-recognized Abenaki tribes to explore ways to support their efforts to increase food security and food sovereignty of their citizens, who have the worst health outcomes in the state.
• Vermont Regional Community Action AgenciesmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStatewide network of community organizations that can provide information and help with applications for food assistance programs including Farm to Family Coupons.
• City Market Co-op and Brattleboro Food Co-opminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVolunteer hour reporting partnership for member worker discounts. City Market Co-op in Burlington and Brattleboro Food Co-op members can receive discounts by volunteering with Hunger Free Vermont.
• Vermont Center for Independent LivingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReferral partner for Meals on Wheels services for people living with short and/or long term disabilities.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Project Bread: Massachusetts-based state-level anti-hunger organization funding and advocating for food access. Closest structural analog to HFVT — state-level advocacy + program funding model — operating in a neighboring New England state.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: Nation's largest domestic hunger-relief organization, with a network of 200+ member food banks. A broad incumbent that operates at significantly larger scale than HFVT across overlapping food-security and anti-hunger domains.

Direct peers

• Feeding Champlain Valley: Regional food bank serving northwestern Vermont. Co-developed the 2035 Roadmap with HFVT and Vermont Foodbank, with overlapping beneficiaries and food-distribution model.
• Vermont Foodbank: State-level food bank distributing food through 300+ partner sites across Vermont. Directly comparable as a fellow core partner on the 2035 Roadmap with overlapping geography, beneficiary base, and food-security mission.
• WhyHunger: National grassroots anti-hunger and poverty organization supporting community-based food solutions and advocacy. Comparable as a community-mobilization and advocacy peer with overlapping grassroots-network approach.
• Share Our Strength / No Kid Hungry: National nonprofit campaigning to end childhood hunger through school meal programs and anti-hunger advocacy. Directly comparable in mission focus on child nutrition and summer/school meal access.
• MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger: National anti-hunger advocacy and grantmaking organization focused on federal nutrition programs and food insecurity among vulnerable populations. Comparable as a fellow advocacy + grantmaking peer in the same anti-hunger space.
• Food Research & Action Center (FRAC): National anti-hunger advocacy and research organization focused on federal nutrition programs (SNAP, school meals, WIC). Direct peer because HFVT executes at the state level the same policy and program-enrollment agenda FRAC drives federally.
• Bread for the World: Christian advocacy organization focused on U.S. and global hunger policy. Comparable as a faith-rooted advocacy peer working on the same federal nutrition-policy issues HFVT engages with at the state level.
• Hunger Center (formerly Congressional Hunger Center): National nonprofit developing leaders and shaping policy to end hunger. Comparable as an advocacy and policy peer working on federal nutrition-program integrity, the same domain HFVT's advocacy work targets at the state level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/hungerfreevt
• Xx.com/hungerfreevt
• Facebookfacebook.com/HungerFreeVermont
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hunger-free-vermont

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hunger Free Vermont